The Years Between Us
by lovelylittleflowerchild
Summary: AU-tastic story. Six years after that fateful night, Maria and Anita briefly meet and see that some things will always stay the same. Revised for your reading pleasure as of 3/28/11.
1. Yesterday

Hey! I came across this file on my computer and after reading through it, decided it was in need of a make over; the plot is still the same, I just feel that I could tweak a few things here, there, and everywhere to make the story flow a little better. I owe thank yous to all the fantabulous people I have met on this site; your words of encouragement and sometimes oddness mean everything to me!

Speaking of which, I kinda wanna dedicate this rewrite to **Iwait4theRain**; she was my loyal reviewer of this story and since then, we have formed a wonderful friendship. GO HAPPY HIPPIE HOME HELPERS! And I also must thank **CouchPotato94 **for listening to my endless talks (more like rants) about WSS and how beautiful Matt Cavenaugh is. But come on, you know our friendship wouldn't be _nearly _as exciting if I didn't know what WSS was...and if all else fails, BLAME STAGE CREW! xD

I hope the excerpt from the Wordsworth poem sets the mood for the story; it's one of my favorites. And If I owned _West Side Story_, do you really think I'd be here?

* * *

_Though nothing can bring back the hour_  
_Of splendor in the grass,_  
_Of glory in the flower,_  
_We will grieve not, rather find s__trength in what remains behind._

~William Wordsworth

* * *

Maria turned on the light to the hall closet and gazed at the dust covered boxes. When she found the box she was searching for, she blew dust from the lid and removed a well-loved photo album from inside. The cover was hanging on by only a few threads, due to being opened and closed repeatedly. Maria opened it up on her way downstairs, and smiled at the message written on the inside cover: _Christmas, 1957 We've seen a lot and are still here; lets make things always be that way. Love, Tony. _She'd come to love his uneven handwriting; it was a simple thing that reminded her of what all had happened in six, short years.

Maria sat down on the couch and began flipping through the pages. The photographs towards the beginning were rather old, many of them not even a part of the new life Maria had paved for herself. No, these pictures showed a life that was untouched by America and the city; they were pictures of a life untouched by death.

"What's that?"

Maria looked up and saw her daughter, Maribel, standing in the doorway. Her eyes shone with the curiosity of a child, but held a shade of mature understanding; for as Maribel constantly pointed out, she was not a baby and could do things for herself.

"Just some old pictures. Where is Rose?"

"Upstairs; she's coloring." Maribel stepped forward and rested her arms on the back of the couch. She peered at the old photographs; many were of people she'd never met. "Is Daddy in there? You said you knew him when you were younger."

"No," Maria began, "these pictures were taken before I met Daddy. But some of the pictures all the way in the back are of Daddy."

Maria motioned for Maribel to come closer. The child excitedly ran around the couch and settled herself in Maria's lap. Maribel looked at the pages with her always anxious six-year-old-eyes and smiled when she saw a recognizable face.

"Mommy it's you! But I don't know who that is."

She was pointing at Anita. A melancholy smile swept across Maria's face as she thought about her dear friend; it had been six whole years since she'd seen her. The only connection she had to her was the picture in front of her; and a letter that Anita had sent a few years ago, but paper and ink only last so long.

"That is, that is an old friend of mine," Maria replied.

"Oh. Where is she now?" Maribel inquired, her eyes pleading for an answer. Maria should of known better then to of answered Maribel that way; she always wanted to know more. Whether the question was simple like, "Why is the sky blue?" or harder questions like, "Why does America have to fight in that far away country?"; she was a child who liked to know the facts. But this...this was one fact Maria was not willing to share with her daughter.

"She, she… Maribel, how about you go upstairs and see if your sister is staying out of things. I have to get dinner started."

Maribel gazed at her mother, sensing that there was another reason why she had suddenly lost interest in the pictures. Maria watched Maribel skip off upstairs before returning to the photo album. The page Maribel had stopped on contained one of the few pictures Maria had from her short-lived life in Manhattan. It was one of her and Anita, happily seated on a park bench and sporting genuine smiles. One of them had taken the time to write the date on the back, and Maria saw it was taken a week before something–or rather someone, was taken from their lives as well.

Maria's time in the city was almost like a dream; it was so short-lived, that many mundane aspects of that time were forgotten. Some things, however, could never be forgotten. Her first dance, falling in love, and having to say goodbye; those were all things Maria would never forget about. And Anita; Maria would _never _forget about her; thoughts of her friend had been on her mind more than ever, and Maria blamed it on a fast-approaching square on the calender.

Not that this was the first time that day brought waves of mixed emotions. The first year after, Maria recalled, was hard; she wouldn't deny that. It had been bittersweet, to know that it had been a year since she and Tony found each other, but also to know that day was when her brother departed from this world. But after the first year, that calender square was like all the others. Which was why Maria found it a bit unsettling that for some reason, those swirled emotions were coming back. Maria heard the back door open up and in no time Tony was standing in the living room.

"Hey," he said as he took a seat next to Maria. Upon seeing the photo album in her hands, his face took on a shade of nostalgia. "You still have that thing?"

"Of course I do; why would I not?"

"I don't know; I gave it to you so long ago, I thought that maybe you forgot about it."

"Oh Tony! It was only six years ago!"

"I know, but," Tony paused as he laid eyes on the picture of Maria and Anita. The last time he'd seen Anita was...a long time ago; but even time couldn't erase what exactly happened when he and Anita met for a final time.

Tony remembered everything so painfully well: He'd been pacing back and forth in the cellar at Doc's, waiting until Maria got there so they could shed themselves of the city. He was growing a bit restless in waiting, so when he heard screams from upstairs, he was a bit startled. The first thing that had run through his mind as he bolted up the stairs was that the rest of Jets were bothering Maria in the worst ways they knew how; had Tony been shocked when he discovered he was only partly correct.

He also recalled the quick conversation that he and Anita had. She made him promise never to tell Maria what had taken place; Anita had said something about not wanting to hurt Maria, but Tony figured it was because Anita didn't want Maria to worry about how she would be once Maria was gone. And even though Anita didn't say it out loud, Tony could get a feeling that Anita had said, "I forgive you," in the short conversation they had.

"Tony?" Maria asked worriedly. Tony snapped out of his thoughts, remembering what he was about to tell Maria.

"Oh sorry; like I was saying, a lot happened in these six years."

"Yes, and all those things are in here," Maria said as she held up the photo album. And she was right; that photo album contained the happiness of the present, the memories of the past, the blank pages of the future, and all the years in between.


	2. Come Together

Maria looked up from the laundry she was stringing on the clothes line and smiled at Maribel and her sister, Rose. They were standing in the knee-high flowers at the other end of the yard, doing who knows what. A breeze began to blow, making the sheets Maria had hung out to dry billow like a ship sail. It was a perfect summer afternoon unscathed by anything. But Maria knew this perfect day couldn't last; for tomorrow it would be another year in counting since her brother was taken away from her.

Maria knew that that was an aspect of her and Tony's relationship they could never overlook, no matter how loving a marriage they shared. Because death isn't something you can just push under rug and forget about. Murder isn't something you can just forget about. It was a hard fact for Maria to accept; that the man she had formed a wonderful life with was capable of something so horrid.

"Mommy!"

Maria looked up and saw Rose sprinting across the yard. Rose and Maribel were like day and night; whereas Maribel found enjoyment in stowing insects away in glass jars and drawing them to a tee (or at least attempting to), Rose found it far more interesting to draw things how she saw them, and push accuracy to the wayside. And for all the times Maribel had asked, "Why?", Rose probably asked, "Why not?" a dozen more.

"Mommy, look! These flowers have teeny tiny feathers on them! And when you shake them the feathers go everywhere!" Rose spun around in a circle and shook the handful of dandelions she had. Their wispy seeds drifted up towards the air, then fell to the ground without a sound. As Maria reached into the laundry basket by her feet, she smiled at Rose.

"Rose your father is not going to like having all those weeds in the yard."

"But Mommy, weeds are ugly; these are pretty, see?" Rose held a yellow dandelion up to Maria. Maria took the flower from her daughter and smiled once again. To a child, especially a child like Rose, _everything _was beautiful.

"Well, I cannot argue with that. How about you do Mommy and Daddy a favor and pick all of the pretty yellow flowers out of the yard?"

Rose's eyes widened. "Of course!"

Rose skipped back to the other end of the yard and continued digging around in the flowerbed. Maria couldn't imagine Rose and her sister were doing much harm. The flowerbed had been there since Maria and Tony moved into the house, as were the rest of the flowers around the yard and the vast field of wildflowers on the other side of the fence. Neither Maria nor Tony knew what kinds of flowers they were, but they hated to see them go; even if the postman called the flowering vines on the mailbox "nuisances and weeds".

As Maria returned to hanging up laundry, the sound of an approaching car caused her to look to the road. Traffic was such a rare thing to see on the lonely country road that extended past the house. Often times the cars were occupied by people from the city, seeking a temporary escape from the crowded streets that they called home. Sometimes they'd ask for directions and comment on how pretty it was out in the country. And if Maria happened to be the one guiding the stray car back onto the road, she would smile at the people's dazzled faces, surprised at how pure things were, because at one time, she and Tony thought the same things.

When the car grew closer, it was now visible the car was a taxi cab. Maribel and Rose also caught a glimpse the strangely marked car, and abandoned their adventure in the garden to meet their mother at the other end of the yard.

"Mommy, why does that car have letters on it?" Rose asked as she tugged on Maria's dress, leaving a trail of dirty hand prints behind. Maribel rolled her eyes; at times she found Rose's obvious questions annoying.

"It's a taxi Rose; people use them in the city to get places," Maribel replied.

"So they don't have cars in the city? Everyone uses taxi things?"

Maribel continued to debrief her sister on modes of urban transportation as Maria approached the fence. The taxi had stopped in the driveway, leading Maria to believe it was lost on it's way out of the city. But when the door opened up, Maria's heart stopped. Standing in front of her was the friend she thought she'd never see again and clutching her hand was a little boy who was the spitting image of a boy Maria once knew very well.

* * *

Anita and Maria were seated on the porch as they watched Maribel, Rose, and Carlos, Anita's son, playing under a tree in the backyard.

"Well they seem to of hit it off quickly," Maria said. Although she didn't think they'd have trouble getting along; they were cousins after all.

"Yes. Carlos…he has trouble making friends; he is so quiet and shy." Anita smiled as she watched Carlos reluctantly accept a dandelion crown from Rose. "But now I am glad I brought him along."

"I am glad you did too; so are the girls. It is hard on them living away from other children. But they have each other; they fight…a lot, but they still enjoy each others' company."

Anita let out a little laugh at her friend's remark. "Maria, they would not be sisters if they did _not _fight."

"Yes, I guess that is true. Oh Anita, it seems like it has been longer since six years. That letter you sent me finally had to be thrown out; after reading it over so many times, the paper started to tear."

"Do not feel bad; the letter you sent us did not last very long either."

A few months after Maribel was born, Maria had realized that it soon would be a year since she met Tony. A year since her brother died. A year since she'd spoken to her family. At the time, she had seen that as an opportunity to patch things up with her family. Maria recalled how she sat at the kitchen table for hours trying to piece together the perfect letter. And after doing so, she enclosed a picture of Maribel with the letter; for she knew her parents deserved to know _everything _that she had been up to. But when weeks passed and their was still no answer, Maria had for a time given up hope on ever hearing back from her family.

But then one day, a package came in the mail. It was a box full of pictures (many which now had a home in the pages of Maria's photo album) and a letter from Anita. And as Maria thought about it, she did recall Anita saying things about how much her life had changed and how someday Anita would love to see Maria again.

"Your parents wish you well too, Maria."

Maria, startled by her friend's remark, remained silent. Anita rested her hand on top of Maria's and faintly smiled. "They still love you; they never stopped loving you, in fact."

Maria didn't answer and instead let Anita continue.

"You know, after Carlos was born, your father thought it was best that we moved in with them. He said it was not safe for me to live on my own with a baby without…" Anita trailed off as she looked to the tree. Carlos waved to her, and flashed an all too familiar smile. "And if I have learned one thing in these few years, it is that _nothing _can break family ties."

"I know that too." Maria turned to her friend. "And maybe, someday, I can _show _my parents that I know that."

Anita smiled contently; that was easier to say than she thought it would of been.

"Those girls look so much like you Maria," Anita said to move away from the current subject. Maria reached a hand out to Anita.

"Carlos looks a lot like his father," was all Maria said. Anita gripped her friend's hand tightly, as if holding hands with Maria connected her to the boy she loved.

"I know."

"So, how long were you planning on staying?" Maria asked, bringing her friend out of her thoughts. Anita blinked quickly, as if she was chasing away any tears that may try to reside in her eyes.

"Oh, not long. I do not want to ruin yours and Tony's summer; just a few days most likely."

"Now Anita, you know you will not ruin our summer. You can stay as long as you want."

"_Gracias _Maria. I do not think you realize how happy I am to see you again."


	3. And I Love Her

That night, Maria stared at the ceiling awhile before falling asleep. A summer rainstorm had settled in, and the wind rattled the tree branches against the side of the house. She was surprised that the girls hadn't come to seek refuge with her and Tony yet; neither of them cared for thunder storms, although when she was asked, Maribel would deny her fear. But Maria supposed maybe it was the presence of their cousin that prompted them to stay in their room. When the wind blew even stronger, that was it for Maria. She rolled over on her side and gently shook Tony's shoulder.

"Tony. Tony, wake up."

Tony slowly opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Maria what's wrong? It's the middle of the night."

"I know. But you know what tomorrow is, right?"

Tony slowly sat up and began tracing the shadows dancing across the wall with his eyes. Their irregular shapes created jagged edges on every inch of the blanket kicked to the foot of the bed. Tony then focused on a vase of flowers in the window. He watched as the gauzy curtains fluttered in the wind; one eventually gained enough strength to knock over the teetering vase in the window. Maria jumped when it hit the floor with a crash.

"It'd be June twenty-seventh," Tony said as he slowly sat up and made his way to the broken vase. The remnants were sitting in a pool of water from both the contents of the vase and rain. As Tony collected the pieces in his hands, he froze; June twenty-seventh. June twenty-seventh. That date would forever resonate through Tony's mind, whether he liked it or not. Sure, he'd traded in his days as a Jet several years ago, but that didn't mean he was apt to forgetting about what happened that fateful night.

"Can't believe it'll be six years already."

Maria blinked when Tony finally understood. "I know."

"You and Anita gonna do anything?" Tony asked as he ran his fingers over the glass shards in his hands.

"I do not know; I think the reason Anita came today is because tomorrow is well…" As Maria trailed off, Tony turned around to face her. She too had sat up and currently had her back rested against the headboard. In the moonlight, Tony was taken back to that summer night six years ago. The night he realized Maria was the girl he wanted to spend every night with.

"Yeah." Tony sat the pieces of glass on the dresser in the corner before making his way back to bed. After settling himself in next to Maria, he sighed. "Look I'll be at work tomorrow. So don't worry about me making things awkward."

"Tony do not say that."

Tony pushed a piece of stray hair from Maria's face before speaking again. "You haven't seen each other in years; you two deserve to have a day to catch up."

"I guess you are right. But that does not mean you need to stay at work late; the girls love spending time with you."

"I know, I know. Maybe we'll drive down to the shore next weekend."

"That would be nice. They will not be little forever, Tony."

Whenever Maria reminded Tony of such things, he would feel guilty. He knew that Maria cherished precious things like childhood; he figured it had to do with being handed responsibility at a young age, and in a way, being forced to grow up. He and Maria both had been forced to grow up. But Tony wouldn't have life his any other way. Maribel and Rose brought a light to his life that he was sure could only come from the joy of having children. And then there was Maria; before there was her, Tony never would of imagined that love would make you feel like this. And for six years, he rested well in knowing that he was in love and would forever be in love with Maria.

Of course now, it was a different kind of love he felt for her. Gone was that feeling of being in love for the "first time". Now it was a love based off the idea that Tony knew Maria would always be around; he no longer had to worry about their love fading, for he knew their love was like the stars in sky: forever there and ever bright.

The wind had calmed a bit outside, and now only the sound of rain falling could be be heard. Maria yawned, prompting her to lay back down. Tony followed suit and upon wrapping his arms around Maria, whispered into her ear.

"I love you."

"I love you too."


	4. Hey Jude

A few things: On the subject of having young children roaming through a field alone; I have done research on what kids did for fun in the 1960's (which is when this story would take place), and in the information I found, it stated that parents back then were more open to letting their children play outside alone. And if you don't believe me, I asked my own mommy, who was a child of the sixties, and I found out that she did lots of things that she wouldn't dare let me do; like diving out of a hay loft window.

And this is for **Iwait4theRain**: I mention something later on in this chapter that we once briefly talked about in a PM; kudos if you pick it up! :P

* * *

Anita was seated at the kitchen table the following morning, her eyes fixed on a crack in the floor. The sun rays creeping across the cool tiles were her only clues as to how long she'd been awake. The unfamiliar, almost eerie, silence was what caused her to wake; she figured Maria and Tony were used to the early morning silence by now. Anita wasn't complaining about waking up to peace, but to not hear the sound of traffic, or the hum her neighbor's shower penetrating the walls in the early morning was just…off. It was what she had come to know for the last six years; anything that deviated from that routine made Anita feel out of balance.

In fact, Anita credited her recovery from the loss of Bernardo to both Carlos and routine. For routine is safe, it is never changing unlike life, which takes sharp turns at unknown times. And as Anita sat in the quiet kitchen, she thought back to a time when routine was a word she would of _hated _to of heard. Six years ago, routine was a word she would of pinned to Maria, and not herself. But then something happened; Maria let her guard down and threw caution to the wind; Maria fell in love. And something happened to Anita as well. Something that made her realize, maybe routine wasn't such a bad thing

Above the sink a clock kept time for the real world, as Anita was lost in a world of her own. She only snapped out of her thoughts when she heard footsteps coming downstairs.

"And then do remember when you told me that you would take me to work with you?"

"Rose I don't think I ever told you that."

"Yes you did! You said…" Rose paused when she and Tony entered the kitchen. She had her tiny arms wrapped around Tony's neck and dangling from her hand was a ragged teddy bear. With her free hand, she waved to Anita.

"Good morning."

"Good morning; you are up pretty early."

"Rose is always up early, aren't you?" Tony asked.

Rose nodded before looking at Tony. "Yes I am. And every morning Daddy and me sit at the table and breakfast. Isn't that right Daddy?"

"Yeah," Tony said, giving Anita a look that suggested Rose enjoyed the early morning breakfasts more than he did. "I hope Rose didn't wake you up; sometimes she doesn't remember how to be quiet."

"I am not loud!" Rose announced as she struggled to free herself from Tony's arms.

"Of course you're not." Tony sat Rose down on the floor and she began pulling an assortment of tableware out of a drawer. As Tony took a loaf of bread from the fridge, he motioned towards Anita.

"You want toast?"

"Oh, you do not have to…"

"Of course you want toast!" Rose said as she placed an array of utensils on the table. Anita smiled at Rose and then looked back to Tony.

"Why not."

Rose clapped her hands in delight. "I'll get the jelly!"

"So, you going to stay long?" Tony asked in am attempt to make small talk.

"Carlos and I will probably go home tomorrow."

"You don't have to leave that early; you can stay the whole summer if you want to." Tony placed slices of bread into the toaster before aiding Rose in her search for jelly.

"Oh well, as much as I would…" Anita trailed off, suddenly feeling disconnected from the scene playing out in front of her. She wasn't angry at Tony; he had shown his apology to her in the greatest way possible. No, she just felt out of place, or possibly even like the third wheel at the moment. For she was seeing that she was not the only one who had settled into a routine.

* * *

Maria sat at the foot of her bed watching as the sun took its spot in the sky. She'd lived through this day for five years; why should the sixth be any different? Footsteps began to fall upon the stairs, and Maria looked away from the window. She smiled warmly when she saw Tony in the doorway.

"Are you leaving already?"

Tony ran his hand over the back of his neck. "Yeah," Tony began as he made his way across the floor, "but if I leave early, I'll come home earlier."

He leaned over Maria and softly pressed his lips to her forehead. Even after six years, Maria still got that jumpy feeling deep within herself. Maria gazed up at Tony and smiled again.

"Yes."

"See?" Tony said before kissing Maria this time on the lips. "And I promise I won't be home late."

Tony gave Maria one last parting look before he left the room. On his way downstairs, he sighed to himself; he too, felt that this day was going to be different than the rest.

* * *

Maria and Anita sat on patio chairs. For a bit, they listened to the sound of each other breathing; neither knew what to say. The girls had taken Carlos into the field that ran behind the house, for they gasped at the thought of Carlos never playing in open space before. Anita took a sip of her coffee before turning towards Maria.

"I told you that we would meet again."

Maria glanced up and took note of her friend's sly smile.

"You did?"

"Yes," Anita stated before taking another drink. "In that letter; I told you someday I would come to see you. I told you about Carlos too."

Now it all made sense. Maria remembered Anita saying something about how she too had been handed responsibility and how much her own life had changed.

"Now, it took me six years to get here; but better late then never, right Maria?"

Maria smiled at her friend and let a laugh escape from her lips.

"I am sure you _do _know what it is like; to be given a responsibility as great as a child," Maria said as she mindlessly twirled her spoon around in her mug. Anita rolled her eyes.

"Oh, you think those girls keep you on your toes. I tell you, Carlos is just like that brother of yours; headstrong, but he can pull you in with a smile and a simple, 'I love you'."

"I am sure that Bernardo would love to know that Carlos reminds you of him."

"I am sure he would too." Anita paused and gazed out into the yard. The fields of yellow grass across the road moved with the motion of the breeze, creating a wave of gold. "You know, out of all the surprises I was given that summer, Carlos was the best one. And, it was difficult in the beginning but…to picture life without him…is hard."

"I know what you mean; it is very hard to imgaine life before the girls now."

"Exactly." Anita stared at Maria for a moment. In six years, Maria had gone from a shy girl of sixteen to a strong young woman who had found a world beyond those dirty city streets.

"This is such a lovely house, Maria," Anita stated.

"Oh, thank you; when we moved in, it did not look this nice."

"_Nothing _ever looks good in the beginning," Anita began, "but you have to believe things will turn out well in the end."

"Yes, you do."

* * *

"…eight, nine, ten. Ready or not, here I come!"

Carlos stared at the vast coverage of wildflowers before him. Splotches of yellows and blues blurred all of the green stalks of the plants. And as he navigated his way through the tall vegetation, Carlos began to wonder why he had agreed to be it. His cousins could be anywhere for all he knew; they played in here all the time. This field was as familiar to them as the pavement of the playground was to him.

When Carlos took a step, his foot fell onto a rusty spoon. He picked up and held it to the sun, allowing it to catch the light. He then heard a laugh to his left, and after pushing away a flowering bush of some sort, found Maribel and Rose seated on what looked like an old beach towel.

"Found you!"

As Maribel crawled out of the hiding place, she eyed Rose.

"Rose, I told you to be quiet!"

"You can't tell me what to do!"

Maribel sighed. She brushed herself off and before turning to Carlos, gazed at Rose. In the course of their hiding, Rose had managed to braid a chain of daisies, sing the entire _Beverley Hillbillies _theme song, and inform Maribel that the ring of mushrooms under the bush was called a fairy ring, which meant that the field was magical. No way Maribel was going to let a four-year-old _baby _like Rose tell her no.

"Yes I can; I'm older."

Rose rolled her eyes at Maribel before heading off in the opposite direction. Carlos, still not entirely sold on the idea of wandering through a field full of plants taller than he, looked at Maribel.

"Should we go with her?"

"No; she knows how to get back to the house." Maribel picked up the glass jar she had sat on the ground and motioned for Carlos to follow her. As Maribel inspected leaves for insects, she asked Carlos a question.

"If we're cousins, how come I've never met you?"

Carlos shrugged. At home, his _abuela _had pictures of Maribel and Rose sitting out on the mantle. He knew that they existed, but never having met them, it was hard for Carlos to imagine what they would be like. While Maribel and Rose seemed completely oblivious to his existence before today.

"I don't know; maybe because you live far away."

"Maybe; but Daddy told me that the city is only a few hours away from here." Maribel paused to capture a grasshopper in her jar. "Mommy said that your daddy and her were brother and sister; that's why were cousins."

"Uh huh. I never met him though."

Maribel held the glass jar up to her face, watching the grasshopper crawl up the side. "Yeah; Mommy also said that her brother died. She always says how nice he was."

Carlos ran his fingers over the rusty spoon. He knew very little about his father, but that lack of knowledge made his deceased father all the greater. Maribel took note of the thoughtful look on her cousin's face; she placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"Carlos, I bet it's true that your daddy was really nice; Mommy never lies."

Carlos beamed from ear to ear. Maribel returned the smile and took Carlos by the hand.

"Come on; if we go this way, we can jump out at Rose and scare her."

It was a nice thought, Carlos told himself; to know that his father was wonderful. And even though he had just met him, Carlos hoped that his father was as wonderful as his cousins' father was.


	5. Let It Be

After lunch, the sun grew too hot for even the girls and Carlos to withstand. As Maria poured glasses of lemonade in the kitchen, she could overhear Anita talking to the girls in the living room. Maria thought Anita seemed to be in good spirits; she expressed nothing but happy sentiments this morning, but the day was still young. Over the clamor of glasses being taken out of the cabinet, Maria barley heard the small voice acknowledge her.

"Hi."

Maria looked down and saw Carlos staring up at her with wide eyes. "Hello," she said with a smile. The child returned the gesture and gazed at the pitcher on the counter. Maria noticed his fixed eyes and smiled once more. "Would you like some?"

Carlos nodded and took a seat at the kitchen table. After Maria presented a glass of lemonade in front of him, she took a seat at the table as well. The pair sat in silence for a while, listening to the hum of cicadas come in through the open window. As they did so, Maria studied Carlos' face; a mirror image of her brother he was.

"Carlos, has anyone ever told you look so much like your father?"

"Yeah." Carlos paused to take a sip of lemonade. "_Everyone _tells me that."

"Oh, well that is not a bad thing; your father was a wonderful person."

The child's face lit up a bit. Maribel was right. "Mama always tells me that. She says that he loved her a lot too and that you're his sister."

"Yes, all three of those things are true," Maria said with a small smile. A tinge of pain began to make its way through her body though when the thought of what her brother was missing.

Carlos stared into his glass of lemonade and watched as the ice cubes bumped in to each other. They clanked against the side of his glass and created a sound mimicking the wind chimes on the back porch. Maria wondered where the child's mind was; he seemed completely bereft of all sad emotion regarding his deceased father. When Carlos finally looked up, his eyes were wide once again.

"Would…would it be okay if I called you _tía_?"

Maria reached a hand out to Carlos. "Of course it would."

"Good. I thought because I never met you before I couldn't call you that."

"That does not change what I am to you."

"But just because I never met you in real life doesn't mean I didn't know about you," Carlos added. "My _abuela_ has pictures of you in her house. She has pictures of Maribel and Rose too. Mama always told me some day we would come and see you."

"Well, I am _very _glad that you and your mother came to see me."

"Me too."

Carlos' eyes suddenly became fixed on the table cloth. "How did he die?"

Maria, taken aback by the child's blunt statement, asked him, "What did you say?"

"My father; how did he die?" Carlos squeezed his eyes shut for moment; one thing he was not going to do was cry. "Mama will never me."

Maria inhaled a shaky breath. She and Tony had only ever encountered this question once. It was when Rose was looking at old pictures, and spotted Bernardo with an arm around Maria. Rose immediately asked her mother if he was her boyfriend before she met Tony. At the time, Maria had found the innocent question cute; now, that oh so popular question made Maria feel guilty.

Lying to your children was probably one of the worse things a parent could do, yet she, Tony, and Anita lied to their children everyday. But these lies were to protect them, Maria supposed. After all children are too young and naïve to be bothered with grown-up things like death and murder; then again, Maria herself had been only sixteen when her brother was taken from her; her brother had been only eighteen. Reflecting back, Maria could see that they were all still children, and some of them chose to play war games that brought playtime, and childhood, to an end.

"Carlos," Maria began, "your father died because people couldn't learn to get along with each other."

"That's not good."

"No, it is not. That is why it is good to get along with everybody; even people who are not nice to you."

"That's what the teachers tell us in school," Carlos replied, pleased in knowing this information. "And if we aren't nice to people we have to sit by the fence at recess." Carlos paused once again. "But I never had to do that," he added as an afterthought. As he finished off his glass of lemonade, he crawled off his chair and smiled at Maria.

"I'm going to see if Mama is done talking to Maribel and Rose; they were talking about boring girl things," Carlos said with a frown. Maria watched as the child went back into the living room. When he didn't return, Maria assumed that meant Anita and the girls were no longer talking about "girl things". Maria then sat two glasses and the pitcher on a tray. She pushed the kitchen door open with her back and smiled at Anita.

"Rose likes to talk I take it," Anita said as Maria took a seat on the couch. Maria sort of smiled.

"You have no idea; do want some?" Maria gestured towards the pitcher of lemonade.

"Yes please."

As Maria poured Anita and herself lemonade, Anita stared at the pictures hanging in the living room. It was as if she was being given a glimpse into the happy life Maria had created for herself; pictures of Maribel and Rose as babies, snapshots from trips to the beach, and a picture that showed the early beginnings of this new life.

"If I could, I would have been there," Anita said indicating a picture. Maria looked in the direction her friend pointed. After handing Anita a glass, Maria sank into the couch.

"I know; but you are here now, and that is all that matters."

"Oh, but it was your wedding; nothing would of kept me away."

Maria gazed at her friend for a moment. Nothing, huh?

"Anita, please tell me something; and be honest: Were you, at first, hurt about…everything?"

Anita sighed. Obviously Tony had never informed Maria about how he showed his forgiveness. Anita sat her glass down on the coffee table.

"Maria, as I said earlier, I have learned, just as you and Tony have, to live for now. I am happy for you; I always have been." Anita saw Maria's eyes were beginning to glass over. She placed a hand on top of her friend's and gave it a gratifying squeeze. "Maria, your brother brought you here to have a happier life. And I like to think that he would be _proud _too see you now."

"But Anita; I…Tony _killed _him; he would not be proud of that."

"Yes; but you also love Tony. And I like to think that Bernardo would of understood." Anita shuttered when she thought back to that night. She had remembered feeling betrayed, at first, when she found out how Maria had spent the hours proceeding her brother's death. But then, the event she rarely spoke of happened, and Anita saw the boy whom Maria loved.

"You really think so?"

"I know so; he loved so much to see you happy, Maria."

Maria knew that was true; next to Anita, Bernardo had loved her more than anything. Maria also knew that her brother would do anything for her. And in a way, he had done that.

She then looked at Anita. Maria never once doubted that she and Anita would find it hard to pick up where they left off. They were like sisters, and no amount of time between them could ever change that. And yes, both of them had learned to let the past go and move on, their friendship withstood that. They were proof that there is life beyond your past, and that it is possible. And that sometimes, the best way to get over difficult times, is to just let them be.


	6. Across the Universe

Just saying, Across the Universe=beautiful song that I highly suggest listening to.

* * *

That evening after dinner, Maria stepped out on the back porch to find Tony seated on the steps. The tip of his cigarette glowed in the last lingering light of day.

"I thought you gave those things up."

Tony quickly turned around, trying to hide the cigarette. He'd kicked the habit shortly after meeting Maria, but when faced with lots of stress, he fell back onto a crutch from his past. When Maria sat down next to Tony he smiled.

"Sorry. Today was just so…difficult."

"It is fine. Just do not let the girls see it."

"Yeah I know," Tony said before taking a drag of his cigarette. His eyes drifted to the yard that was illuminated by fireflies. "How was Anita?"

"I think she is okay–about everything."

"That's good."

Maria smiled. "Yes, it is."

Maria watched as a plane rocketed across the sky, leaving wispy clouds in its wake. The cool nighttime air was beginning to settle in, and Maria felt a feeling of ease come across her. She knew all along nothing would be different between her and Anita; they were friends, perhaps even closer to sisters, and nothing-not even time, could ever change that.

Tony flicked the glowing remains of his cigarette into the yard and smiled at Maria.

"You know, for all that's happened in six years, I'm glad one thing is still the same."

"What is that?"

"You," Tony said, putting an arm around Maria, "and me."

"That would be two things."

Tony cracked a smile and as he leaned in to kiss Maria, the back door opened up, and Maribel, Rose, and Carlos ran out onto the porch.

"Hey Rose, I bet I can catch more than you!"

"That's not fair! You're taller than me and can reach up higher!"

Maribel and Carlos skipped off the porch. For a moment, Maria and Tony watched them. Six years ago, having a life like this was the furthest thing from Tony's mind. He had a loving wife, two children who amazed him (and sometimes drove him crazy), but most importantly, he was alive. A day didn't go by that Tony didn't think about Riff; or about how he himself very well could have been the one who died that night.

Which got Tony thinking; perhaps the reason he didn't die that night was because this life he had forged was his second chance. Tony looked to the expansive sky above him. The sky was in twilight mode, the sun's rays becoming a quickly fleeting sight. And Tony knew that somewhere in that wide universe above him, was the source of his second chance.

"Daddy, you _gotta_ help me get more lightning bugs than Maribel!"

Rose tugged on Tony's hand, prompting him to get up from the porch step.

"You do?"

"Uh huh!"

Maria gave Tony a smile; she knew that she wasn't the only girl in his life. She hadn't been for six years now. But she was okay with that. Maria watched Tony run through the yard with Rose on his shoulders; she laughed when Maribel and Carlos tackled him to the ground, and he made no effort to push them away. And with that, Maria too, looked up to the sky. Anita was right; her brother would be happy for her, and Maria knew without a doubt that at this very moment, he was looking down on her and smiling.


	7. ObLaDi, ObLaDa

Gotta give a shout out to **Iwait4theRain**; she helped me write part of this. Me hearts you and sends lots of cupcakes your way! :3

* * *

"And then Maribel told me that unicorns aren't real. And I told her of course they are; why would the house with all the books have a whole shelf of books about unicorns if they weren't real?"

Maria, who was currently running a brush through Rose's mop of curls, shrugged. "Well, I do not know Rose," Maria began, "perhaps…"

"See Maribel! Unicorns _are _real! Mommy agrees with me."

Maribel, who was searching for shoes in the closet, eyed her sister. Although she'd never admit it out loud, Rose's…quirkiness was what made Maribel fond of her sister; she'd never admit it out loud because picking on Rose was just too much fun.

"Maribel," Maria called, "have you found your shoes yet?"

Maribel huffed, dramatically shoving shoes around in her closet. "No! They just disappeared!"

Rose automatically gasped. "Maybe the unicorns took them!"

Maribel rolled her eyes at her younger sister. While she was fond of her sister's quirkiness, sometimes it just crossed the line into dumb. "Why would a unicorn take my shoes?"

"Because you don't believe in them." Rose shrugged as if the answer were obvious.

Maribel mumbled something under her breath before locating her shoes.

"Girls, when you are done here, I want both of you and Carlos to go clean up the bathroom; I found your little friend in the tub this morning."

"Maribel was the one who put the froggy in the tub," Rose quipped as she handed Maria a ribbon.

"Rose I do not care which one of you put it in the tub, but I want it out." Rose gazed up at her mother for a moment. After getting up from the floor (and being tripped by Maribel), she and Maribel left to go find Carlos. Maria shuffled over to the closet to pick up Maribel's shoes when she heard a voice behind her.

"Maria?" Maria whirled around, slightly surprised. "Oh, hello Anita."

"Would you like some help there?" Anita smiled at the dozens of pairs of shoes. Maria took a look around her.

"Oh, yes. Maybe just a little help."

Anita bent down with Maria and started packing shoes back into the girl's closet. "Maria, I just wanted to thank you again for letting us stay."

Maria smiled. "Anita, I want to thank you again for coming."

"It was no problem. You just better promise to come visit _us _sometime this summer."

As Maria placed the remaining shoes into the closet, she thought about that idea. Before, Maria would of declined an opportunity to return back to the city. But after spending a few days with Anita, that didn't sound half bad.

"Yes, perhaps we will."

Tony poked his head into the doorway. He smiled at the sight of Maria and Anita, talking and laughing with each other like the young girls they once were. Tony guessed some things never changed. "Hey Anita, I called the cab company; they should be here around eleven."

"Thank you; I was just telling Maria how all of you need to come back to the city for a few days."

Tony smiled slightly, hinting that he too, thought paying the city a visit wouldn't be a bad idea either. When a loud scream came from down the hallway, Tony turned to find Rose chasing a moving something down the hall. Maribel and Carlos followed suit, causing him to raise an eyebrow.

Soon, the three children entered the room once again.

"We got the frog out of the tub," Maribel said. Carlos excitedly ran towards his mother.

"Mama, look! Maribel and Rose are gonna let me keep the frog!" He held a glass jar half full of water up to his mother's face. Anita cringed at the slimy, green creature inside.

"Oh, how thoughtful of them."

Carlos nodded in agreement. "Uh huh."

"Well, lets hope that the frog stays in the jar." Anita stood up. "Carlos, how about you and I finish packing?"

"Aw, do I have to?"

"Yes; I am not leaving you here; I would miss you too much."

Carlos sighed as he followed his mother out of the room.

"Daddy, does Carlos _have _to go home?" Maribel asked. This was a question that could easily be answered. Tony ran a hand over Maribel's hair.

"Yeah; but don't worry; you'll see him again really soon."

* * *

"You better not break your promise to me, Maria," Anita said as she tightly embraced her friend. After pulling away, Maria smiled.

"I will not; believe me."

Anita smiled too and then held her arms out to the girls.

"_Adios _girls; be good for your mother."

"We will," they said in unison.

"And try not to drive your father too crazy," Anita said, briefly glancing up at Tony. He'd believe it when it happened. While Carlos and Maria exchanged a hug, Anita pulled Tony aside.

"Do not worry; I will give Maria's parents a good report." Anita winked. "You have Maria very happy."

"Thanks; I like to think I have too."

Anita smiled. As she pulled Tony into a hug, she gave him a final word. "And just remember, someday those girls will be older, and will be driving another boy crazy."

Tony couldn't help but smile. When the final hugs and kisses had been exchanged, Anita and Carlos stepped off the porch to wait for the taxi that would take them home. And when it did come time for them to leave, Maria and Tony sat on the porch, long after the girls had departed. They watched the road long after the yellow car had sped into the distance, back to the place where they had left behind.

Tony moved his hand over Maria's, causing her to look up.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just…I love you."

"I love you too."

They joined together in a kiss, feeling as they did six years ago, when their lips had first touched. When they pulled away, Tony smiled at Maria.

"I think it's safe to say that time will never tear us apart."

"Yes." Maria smiled before continuing. "You know, the girls are getting older. And you and I always said that when the time was right we'd…"

"Whoa! What brought this on?" Tony jokingly asked.

"I, I do not know. Maybe…"

Tony pulled Maria to her feet and linked his arm with hers.

"I guess it wouldn't be that bad, having…"

"So you agree with me?"

Tony said nothing, and instead only smiled.


End file.
